These past few weeks, I’ve been slowly preparing for interviews for summer internships. Part of that preparation includes updating my resume. I’ve not only been updating it, I’ve also been looking at how to improve its presentation and make it pop. Here’s a list of things that you can do to revamp your resume and make it pop.

Get rid of the Microsoft Word Templates. Part of making a resume pop is having a unique layout. It’s hard to be unique if you use the same template that every other candidate is using. There are plenty of great resume templates out there. Take the ones you like and mesh them together to make your own unique layout.

Use bullets, bold, and italics effectively. You want to make your resume as scannable as possible. Use formatting to assist in this.

Give figures and be specific. In your past job descriptions or volunteer section, give specific figures of what you accomplished while holding that position. For example, I used to train third party verifiers for gas and electric companies. Instead of just putting trainer, I put “Trained 15 new employees on how to perform third party verifications.” If your only job experience are part time jobs during college, put down how many hours you worked during a week while going to school full time. This shows employers that you know how to multi task and manage your time.

Be confident. Your resume is not the time to be modest. Your goal is to sell yourself to the interviewer. If you have a big accomplishment, make sure to include it. Be proud!

Read up on copywriting. Copywriting is the art of writing to sell. By studying copywriting you can learn which words are the most effective and powerful in getting your message across. A great place to start is Copyblogger.com. Also, go by your library. There are tons of books on copywriting.

Don’t lie. This is a given, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who fudge their resumes. You can make yourself look good without having to be dishonest. Nothing can hurt your reputation more than lying on your resume.

Check for grammar and spelling errors. Repeat. Then repeat again. Remember, your resume is a reflection of you. If it’s full of typos, recruiters will automatically assume you do sloppy work. Take the time to edit your resume again and again. Have your friends take a look at it as well for editing purposes.

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Unfortunately most schools never make Resume Writing a part of their Writing Curricula, but being able to write a quality resume is a huge part of finding a Job. Improve your current resume with a few Online Learning courses to gain additional marketable skills.

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